Fastening-supplying apparatus



F. J. BALCOM FASTENING SUPPLYING APPARATUS Dec. 11, 1934.

Filed Aug. 8, 1932 Warm Patented Dec. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES FASTENINGSUPPLYING APPARATUS Frederick J. Balcom, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor toUnited Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of NewJersey Application August 8, 1

13 Claims;

My invention relates to the supplying of fastenings, it beingparticularly concerned with apparatus for delivering nails for use inheelattaching machines and the like.

When a nail-feeder or other fastening-distributor, such as that ofLetters Patent of the United States No. 1,657,630, Lund, Jan. 31, 1928,is provided with means for causing the discharge of successive loads ofnails as a result of direct actuation of its nail-roll or dischargedevice by the transferring or loading mechanism to which it delivers, adischarge-controlling arrangement of this character being disclosed inLetters Patent of the United States No. 1,768,831, Dostie, July 1, 1930,the power means for actuating the discharge-roll and which stops thenail-advancing movement of the distributor-raceway, as is illustrated inthe firstmentioned patent, is absent from the apparatus. Unless means istaken to prevent it, the shake of the raceway will continue duringdischarge, with a possible tendency to displace the nails from the roll.

An object of my invention is to so control the operation of afastening-distributor as to insure the cessation of the raceway-movementbefore the discharge of the fastenings .begins, the arrangementspecially lending itself to cooperation with the roll-actuating means ofthe Dostie patent. This object I attain by transmitting the movement ofthe loading or transferring mechanism through a movable member to thedischarge device for the fastenings and by controlling the movement ofthe raceway from the member as the sole means of applying power whilethe discharge device remains at rest. In this way, the separation anddischarge of successive loads of fastenings may be produced without thepossibility of disturbance resulting from raceway-movement. For thispurpose, there are shown herein governing connections from the racewaycontrolling means to the movable member between the transferringmechanism and the discharge device. These connections preferably firstdisengage a clutch through which the driving shaft of the distributor isrotated, stopping the power-operation of the apparatus, and thereafterthe dischargeroll is actuated to make its delivery. In the preferredform of my invention, the loader-actuated means consists of a pluralityof members, as a rod or its equivalent having two independently movablesections, one of the sections or members having connections to it solelyfor governing the raceway-oscillating mechanism,

932, Serial No. 627,876 (01. 139) while to the other are connections foroscillating the discharge-roll. Between these sections, arrangement ismade for the introduction of initial lost motion to give an opportunityto produce one controlling efiect before the other. The inclusion ofmeans to vary the effective length of one of the members gives anopportunity to vary the extent of movement of the discharge-roll in onedirection while maintaining constant the time-relation thereto of theraceway-control.

In the accompanying drawing is illustrated one of several forms whichmyinvention may assume. Here,

Fig. 1 shows in perspective the delivery-portion of a nail-distributorresembling that of Lund;

Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of the delivery-end 01' suchdistributor, together with a loader-arm which receives nails from thedistributor for transfer to the nailing mechanism of a heel-attachingmachine, and actuating connections from the loader-arm to thedistributor, the elements being in their nail-delivering relation; and

Fig. 3 is a detail in side elevation of the connection between thesections of the distributorcontrolling rod while in their normalposition.

At 10 may be seen the nail-conducting raceway of a distributor D. Thenails are delivered to raceway-grooves 12 by a rotatable drum or otherpower-driven means (not illustrated) and are caused to travel down thegrooves by the oscillation of the raceway. For this purpose, saidraceway is pivoted, as at 14, upon levers 16 fulcrumed upon the frame 18of the distributor and rocked through connecting-rods, one of whichappears at 20, it being driven by an eccentric 22 upon a main shaft 24journaled transversely of the frame. Power may be applied to the shaftthrough a belt-pulley 26 and clutch 28. This clutch is held normally inengagement, so the shaft is rotated, by a spring 30. Disengagement maybe effected by a handlever 32 fulcrumed upon a bracket 34 projectingfrom the frame, and this separation of the clutch members may bemaintained, as when it is desired to fully stop the operation of theapparatus, by a latch 36 upon the lever, which enters a notch in aprojection 38 from the bracket. All the power-driven elements of thedistributor are preferably actuated from the shaft 24. Gearing 40 may beutilized to turn the nail-drum, and gearing 42 may oscillate the usualclearing fingers 44 co-operating with the raceway.

To discharge the nails from the raceway in successive loads, the grooves12 deliver through openings 46 in a roll 48 journaled transversely ofthe raceway for oscillation between a receiving position, in which theopenings are alined with the grooves, and at delivering position, asshown in Fig. 2, the openings now being inclined downwardly so the nailspass by gravity through tubes 50 to enter openings in a loader-block 52,by which they are to be transferred to the nailing mechanism of themachine supplied. The block 52 is carried by a loader-arm 54 mounted toturn about a vertical spindle 56 fixed in the frame of the machinesupplied. and movable by the operator between positions for thereception of the nails from the distributor-tubes 50 and the delivery ofsaid nails to the machine. Upon the upper side of the loader-arm issecured a member on which is a cam-surface 58 arranged to strike, as theloader-block approaches the receiving end of its travel, thecontact-portion 60 of an actuating rod r. This rod appears as formed inlower and upper sections. The lower section 66 is guided in a bracket 68secured to the spindle 56, and includes an angular end-portion 70 soattached at 72. to the body of the rod by a threaded con nection thatthe effective length of the section may be varied. In this end-portion70 is shown a vertical socket to receive the reduced cylindricalextremity '74 of the upper rod-section 76. The section 76 is guided forvertical movement in a bracket 78 attached to the distributorframe 18,and is joined by a link 80 to a gearsegment 82 pivoted upon the raceway.The segment meshes with a pinion 84 fast upon the discharge-roll, and aspring 36, joining the segment to the frame, rotates the roll tonormally aline its passages 46 with the raceway-grooves 12. The angularposition of the roll for the reception of the nails may be adjustablydeter-. mined by ascrew 88 threaded through an arm 90 projecting fromthe end of said roll opposite the segment 82 and contacting with theraceway. Forined upon the portion '70 of the lower rod-section 66 is arack 91, with which meshes a pinion 92 fast upon the end of a shaft 93journaled in the bracket 78 and in an opposite bracket 94. Secured tothe shaft 93 outside the bracket 94 is a cam 96, which engages, as theroll oscillates, a plunger 98 guided for reciprocation upon the bracket94. A helical spring 180 surrounds the plunger, urging it toward thecam. Threaded into the opposite end of the plunger is a contact-screw102, against the head of which bears a contact-block 104 carried by theinner end of the hand-lever 32.

Upon starting the apparatus in operation, the latch of the hand-lever 32is released from the member 38, allowing the spring 30 to cause theengagement of the clutch 28. The pulley 26 being constantly driven byits belt, the shaft 24 now turns, producing rotation of the nail-drumthrough the gearing 40 and delivery from said drum to theraceway-grooves 12; the oscillation of the raceway through theeccentrics 22, with the consequent forward travel of the nails along thegrooves; and movement of the clearing fingers 44 through the gearing 42.The roll 48 remains at rest, with its openings 46 in registration withthe raceway-grooves, so it receives a load of nails therefrom. When theoperator is ready to perform a nailing operation, the

H Hi

W W H H Hi l Hi i loader-arm 54 is swung manually into nail-receivingposition, with the block 52 beneath the lower ends of thedistributor-tubes 50. During this movement, the cam-surface 58 upon theloader-arm strikes the contact-piece 60 of the rod r, elevating thesection 66 of said rod. Initially, the rod-sections are related asappears in Fig. 3 of the drawing, there being a space between opposedcontact-surfaces 106, 106 of the sections. Consequently, the lowersection travels upwardly for a time, while the upper section and thedischarge-roll geared to it remain at rest. During this movement, therack 91 and pinion 92 cause the rotation of the shaft 93. The cam 96,rotating with the shaft, has such a contour that it forces the plunger98 against the contact-end 104 of the lever 32 to separate the membersof the clutch 28, but without engaging the latching members 36 and 38.Rotation of the shaft 24 is thus stopped, and the movement of thenail-drum, raceway and clearer is discontinued. When all these elementsof the nail=feeding means are at rest, the rod-section 66 has beenelevated to a point at which contact is established between the surfaces106,.106. Continued movement of the lower section now raises the upperrod-section 76, swinging the gear-segment 82 to rotate thedischarge-roll 48. This causes the entire discharging operation of thenails from the openings 46 to occur while all the power-driven elementsof the nailfeeding means are motionless, and there is nothing to jar thenails upon the roll so they will waste and clog. When the operatorcauses the delivering movement of the loader-arm after the nails havebeen received in the block, the roll 48 is restored by the spring 86 toits normal relation, and the rod-section '76 correspondingly lowered.The rod-section 66 descends under the influence of gravity, turning thecam 96 so the spring 100 may retract the plunger 98, and the lever 32 isreleased to permit the spring 30 toagain engage the clutch 28 to startthe nailfeeding operations. At any time it is desired to fully stop theoperation of the apparatus, the lever 32 is shifted byxthe operator tothe maximum extent to disengage the clutch, it being latched at 38.Variation in the position of the portion '70 of. the rod 1 upon itscarrier-section 66 determines the extent to which the roll 48 is turnedfor discharge, and alteration in the position of the screw 102 changesthe time of disengagement of the-clutch. The latter adjustment havingbeen made, the adjustment at 72 affects the roll and cam-actuatedplunger simultaneously, so the proper relation between theroll-oscillation and clutch-release may be maintained.

Specific reference has been made to the naildistributor of the Lundpatent, which is designed for feeding at the same time nails ofdifferent lengths. It is to be understood, however, that my invention isequally applicable to a single-length nail-distributor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with fastening-feeding mechanism having a movableraceway, a discharge device and means for controlling the movement ofthe raceway, of means movable to transfer fastenings from the feedingmechanism, a member extending to the discharge device and through whichthe movement of the transferring mechanism is transmitted to saiddischarge device, and connections to the member between the transferringmechanism and the discharge device for governing the controlling means.

2. The combination with fastening-feeding mechanism provided with anoscillatory discharge-roll, a main driving shaft for operating saidfastening-feeding mechanism, and a clutch through which power is appliedto the shaft, of transferring means movable to receive fastenings fromthe feeding mechanism, a member movable by th etransferring means, andconnections to the member transmitting its movement as the sole means ofapplying power for first disengaging the clutch and thereafteroscillating the discharge-roll.

3. The combination with a nail-distributor having an oscillatoryraceway, an oscillatory discharge-roll to which nails are delivered fromthe raceway and mechanism for oscillating the raceway, of loadingmechanism movable into position to receive nails falling from thedischargeroll, a member movable by the loading mechanism, connections tothe member by which its movement is communicated to the dischargeroll,and connections to the member excluding the discharge-roll and madeeffective by its movement before it moves said roll for governing theraceway-oscillating mechanism.

4. The combination with a nail-distributor having a movable raceway, amovable dischargeroll and actuating means for the raceway, of aloader-arm movable by the operator into nailreceiving position at thedistributor, a rod movable by the loader-arm, and means for applying theforce created by the operator through therod first to theraceway-actuating means and thereafter to the discharge roll.

5. The combination with a nail-distributor having an oscillatoryraceway, an oscillatory discharge-roll to which nails are delivered fromthe raceway and mechanism for oscillating the raceway, of loadingmechanism movable into position to receive nails falling from thedischarge-roll, a plurality of members movable successively by theloading mechanism, connections to one of the members solely forgoverning the raceway-oscillating mechanism, and connections to anothermember for oscillating the discharge-roll.

6. The combination with a nail-distributor having an oscillatoryraceway, an oscillatory discharge-roll to which nails are delivered fromthe raceway and mechanism for oscillating the raceway, of loadingmechanism movable into position to receive nails falling from thedischarge-roll, a plurality of members movable by the loading mechanism,means arranged to vary the effective length of one of the members,connections to one of the members solely for governing theraceway-oscillating mechanism, and connections to another member foroscillating the dischargeroll.

7. The combination with a nail-distributor having an oscillatoryraceway, an oscillatory discharge-roll to which nails are delivered fromthe raceway and mechanism for oscillating the raceway, of loadingmechanism movabvle into position to receive nails falling from thedischargeroll, a member movable by the loading mechanism, connections tosaid member for governing the raceway-oscillating mechanism, and amember movable by contact with the raceway-governing member foroscillating the discharge-roll.

8. The combination with a nail-distributor having an oscillatoryraceway, an oscillatory discharge-roll to which nails are delivered fromthe raceway and mechanism for oscillating the raceway, of loadingmechanism movable'into position to receive nails falling from thedischargeroll, a member movable by the loading mechanism, means arrangedto vary the effective length of said member, connections to said memberfor governing the raceway-oscillating mechanism, and a member movable bythe raceway-governing member for oscillating the discharge-roll.

9. The combination with a nail-distributor having an oscillatoryraceway, an oscillatory discharge-roll to which nails are delivered fromthe raceway and mechanism for oscillating the raceway and including aclutch, of loading mechanism movable into position to receive nailsfalling from the discharge-roll, a rod movable by the loading mechanismand having independently movable sections, means rotatable by onesection and acting upon the clutch, and connections to the other sectionfor rotating the discharge-roll.

10. The combination with a nail-distributor having an oscillatoryraceway, an oscillatory discharge-roll to which nails are delivered fromthe raceway and mechanism for oscillating the raceway and including aclutch, of loading mechanism movable into position to receive nailsfalling from the discharge-roll, a rod movable by the loading mechanismand having sections one of which acts upon the other with initial lostmotion, means movable by the initiating section for actuating theclutch, and connections to the other section effective after the takingup of the lost motion for rotating the discharge-roll.

11. The combination with a nail-distributor having an oscillatoryraceway, a discharge device to which nails are delivered from theraceway and mechanism for oscillating the raceway and including aclutch, of loading mechanism movable into position to receive nailsfalling from the discharge device, a rod movable by the loadingmechanism, a shaft rotatable by the rod, and means actuated by the shaftfor disengaging the clutch.

12. The combination with a nail-distributor having an oscillatoryraceway, a discharge device to which nails are delivered from theraceway and mechanism for oscillating the raceway and including aclutch, of loading mechanism, movable into position to receive nailsfalling from the discharge device, a rod movable by the loadingmechanism, a shaft geared to the rod, a cam rotatable by the shaft, andconnections actuated by the cam for disengaging the clutch.

13. The combination with a nail-distributor having an oscillatoryraceway, an oscillatory discharge-roll to which nails are delivered fromthe raceway and mechanism for oscillating the raceway and including aclutch, of loading mechanism movable into position to receive nailsfalling from the discharge-roll, a rod movable by the loading mechanism,a shaft journaled adjacent to the rod, gearing connecting the rod andshaft, a cam rotatable by the rod, and a plunger movable by the cam andacting upon the clutch.

FREDERICK J. BALCOM.

